In recent years, major new studies have tried to rehabilitate the presidency of Jimmy Carter, who died on Dec. 29 at age 100. They've emphasized a range of underappreciated accomplishments in everything from foreign policy to environmental protection and racial equity. However, this positive reappraisal hasn't extended to health care policy, which was a significant battleground during his presidency.
Carter's health care record deserves a more nuanced evaluation. More than any other modern president, he took on the health care industry, as well as his own allies, by attempting to address the high costs of American health care.
Carter's willingness to tackle the politically perilous task of trying to rein in health care costs offers a template for the kind of leadership and focus needed to address the health care system's enduring flaws in 2024.
Carter entered office at a moment when health care spending was skyrocketing... This increase stemmed from the enactment of Medicare in 1965, with its generous reimbursement formulas for hospitals.
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